Knowledge Base

We offer students a flexible and totally customised online course, with a variety of classes and teachers to choose from.

With English Online, you can customise your study plan to suit your own preferences and study goals. You can choose to join:

• 55-minute group classes with maximum 10 students per session – these classes include a set topic and focus on speaking and listening tasks. You will learn with other students at the same level as you, and you will receive instant feedback on your speaking, grammar and vocabulary. At the end of each class, the teacher will share valuable class materials with you for additional practice;
•  25-minute private classes with our expert teachers – choose between private sessions with a set topic or book a freestyle private class and choose what you want to focus on. For a more intensive and personalised experience, you can attend private classes with your favourite teachers and learn at your own pace. Whether you want to learn about a set topic in a one-to-one setting or work on a specific task that is personalised to your study goals, we have the right private class for you! You will receive a report with personalised feedback after every private class you attend, which will help you track your progress;
• 25-minute grammar or pronunciation webinars called Live25 sessions – these sessions are completely free and included as part of your subscription. You can join 4 of these sessions every month with an active subscription and use them as an opportunity for additional practice between your regular group or private classes. If you need extra help with understanding English verb tenses or  how to use intonation in a sentence, Live25 sessions offer you the opportunity to advance your knowledge.

Each class you book with a set topic includes access to premium online exercises that you complete before and after your live session with your teacher. These exercises will help you improve your reading, listening and vocabulary skills, as well as help you practice and revise what you have learnt after your class. To browse our available classes before you commit to a subscription plan, you can set up a free English Online account.

English Online offers you a dynamic and interactive classroom experience, as well as access to premium online exercises that you can do in your own time. You will improve your speaking and study different topics ranging from business to social English in a vibrant and international environment.

We offer students complete flexibility and the chance to customise their studies to fit their personal needs and preferences. With English Online, you will be taught by the world’s leading English teaching experts in an inclusive and open environment, and you will reach your study goals in your own time and at your own pace.

To receive your trial, you’ll need to enter some identity and payment information to create your English Online account (but you will not be charged). Once this has been securely processed, you will be able to instantly access our platform. If you choose to continue your studies with us after your 7-day trial period, your first payment will be automatically processed at the regular monthly subscription price. You can cancel at any time during your trial or monthly subscription.

The number of classes you can attend during your trial period is either one private class or two group classes.

Study in your own time and at your own pace. If you want to fast track your spoken English then try our Platinum subscription plan, so that you can attend 3-4 classes per week. If you prefer a slower pace, then our Gold subscription plan will improve your general English skills with 2-3 classes a week. You can change your subscription plan at any time.

All our teachers are highly qualified and experienced British Council English teaching professionals. Our teachers are experienced in working with students from many different countries and are online teaching specialists. Teacher training takes place regularly and teaching quality is monitored and evaluated by a team of specialists to ensure we deliver the best learning experience possible.

Whether you choose to only attend Live25 webinars, or decide to also purchase credits for online classes (group or private), we recommend you book sessions with as many teachers as possible. We believe it is pedagogically very valuable to have different teachers who have different pronunciation and speak different dialects of English. This exposure to different accents is essential in a world where English is spoken by millions of people from different countries, and we think this is the best way for our students to be better prepared to deal with real life situations.

However, if you prefer a certain teacher, you can choose to only book classes with them, whether in a group or private setting, or for your Live25 webinars.

You will be asked to select your English level when you log in to your account for the first time.
If you are unsure of your current English level, you can take our free level test before joining the online classes. Sign up to our newsletter to access our level test.

English Online offers you complete flexibility – this means you take control of how you progress, and you decide when you feel ready to advance. When you want to change your level, you can request this by contacting our Customer Support team and they will update your account.

Our course is available at CEFR levels: Elementary (Level A1), Pre-Intermediate (Level A2), Intermediate (Level B1), Upper-Intermediate (Level B2), and Advanced (Level C1).

With English Online, students create their own timetable depending on their personal preferences.

Live online classes are scheduled throughout the day, every day, so you can choose to study what you want, when you want. When you log in for the first time, you will be asked to select your time zone and your preferred time format (12-hour clock or 24-hour clock). All the class times will be shown according to your selected local time.

To view the available class times, themes and teachers, you can create a free English Online explorer account and see if our course is the right choice for you: Set up your free account today and get started.

The exact number of classes you can attend in a month depends on your subscription plan.

Every English Online package includes a set number of class credits per month, which you use to book group classes (1 credit each) or private classes (2 credits each). It’s up to you to decide how to use your credits and which classes you want to take – we offer you complete flexibility!

Click here to browse our available packages.

Our classes are organised in specific themes, according to their topic. One theme consists of 6 lessons and the topics range from social and cultural topics to business-oriented ones. While completing themes is not mandatory, at the end of each theme you will unlock a 2-part assessment.

To track your progress, we highly recommend that you complete this assessment at the end of each theme.

The assessment consists of 2 parts:

• Theme challenge: You have 30 minutes to complete 2 language exercises (grammar and/or vocabulary) and 2 text activities (reading and/or listening). Note that your quiz starts as soon as you click on “Start the challenge”! Your score will be saved after 1 attempt and you cannot retake it.
• Private speaking test: 25 minutes (2 credits). You will be able to book this test after completing the theme challenge.

After the speaking test, you will receive a feedback report from your teacher within 24 hours and you will also receive a digital badge in return for your hard work!

English Online functions as a monthly subscription and because of this, there is no official course duration – your course lasts for as long as you want!

You are free to study with us for as many months as you want in order to reach your study goals. With a flexible class schedule and a wide variety of classes to choose from, you can create your own personalised study plan at every level and pace your studies in a way that is convenient and productive for you!

English Online is a subscription-based course which does not have a set course duration – you can study with us for as long as you feel comfortable and advance at your own pace!

Each level includes between 54 – 84 online lessons , however it is not mandatory to attend all the classes before upgrading to the next level. As we give students complete flexibility, you will decide for yourself for how long you want to study with us and which classes you want to attend at any given level.

You can pay for your subscription online, directly with a credit or debit card or with Google Pay (for Android devices) or Apple Pay (for iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac). Other options are available in selected markets. When you subscribe, you will authorise English Online to automatically charge your account on a monthly recurring basis.

Your monthly subscription will be a recurring payment charged via Stripe*, our payment provider, either in your local currency or in USD (the exact price and currency will become available to you once you have selected your country of residence during the registration process). Most credit cards are accepted.

*Stripe has been audited by a PCI-certified auditor and is certified to PCI Service Provider Level 1. This is the most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry. To accomplish this, Stripe uses the best-in-class security tools and practices to maintain a high level of security.

Yes, you can pay for English Online using an employer’s bank card, however please remember that your English Online student account must include your personal contact information (full name and email address).

 After each payment, you will be able to download a receipt directly from your English Online student account. This receipt can be edited to include your personal information or your company’s information (such as name, address and tax number), and will be available immediately after every successful payment.

Yes, you can! Subscribe to a Gold or Platinum package and benefit from a free 7-day trial period that includes 2 free class credits (which you can use to attend 2 group classes or 1 private class). You will be asked to fill in your payment information but you will not be charged during the trial period.

If you just want to explore our platform before you choose a monthly subscription plan, you can create a free English Online account without subscribing. You will not be able to book any classes, but you will gain access to the platform and you will be able to browse the available classes, class times and teachers.

You can choose your preferred monthly subscription plan here. To subscribe, select your preferred plan and then fill in the requested contact and payment information. Please make sure to read our Terms and Conditions of Use before you subscribe.

If you are subscribing to a package with a free trial period, you will not be charged right away, but you still need to fill in your payment information in order for your registration to be successful.

Once the payment is confirmed, you will receive an automated email with a link you need to set up an account password and to access your classes. If you do not receive this email immediately after confirming your payment, please contact our Customer Support team.

You can start booking your classes immediately after your registration has been completed.

If you choose a package with a free trial period, you will not be charged for the first 7 days and you will have 2 free class credits available to attend 2 group classes or 1 private class. When the trial ends, you will be charged automatically.

If you choose a package without a trial period, you will be charged immediately and you will receive your first batch of class credits right away.

No, it is not possible to share your account. Your English Online account is unique and personalised for your individual needs.

If you have registered for this course individually, you can download your payment receipt from the page ‘Account status,’ available in the top-right corner of your homepage, from the drop-down menu under your name. When you click to download your receipt, a pop up message will appear with the option to add a preferred name, address and tax number to your receipt.

If your organisation paid for your course, you will not have access to a payment receipt and any billing and payment information will be discussed directly with your organisation.

Click on your name in the top right-hand corner. You will see a dropdown menu including various options to choose from.

• Profile: select this option to update your profile information. Inside you will find:

→ Profile tab: select this option to update your profile photo. 

→ Communication tab: select this option to update your communication preferences. 

→ Change password tab: select this option to change your password. 

→ Time zone options tab: select this option to update your time zone or preferred time format (12-hour clock or 24-hour clock). 

• Account status: select this option to change your payment method

Yes, you can! If you want to attend more classes in a month, you can buy 4, 8 or 12 extra class credits directly from your English Online student account so that you can continue your studies uninterrupted.

Please note that buying extra class credits does not delay or change your recurring billing date – you will still be charged automatically for the renewal of your subscription even if you buy extra credits.

Class credits are what you use to book classes on our platform. A group class costs 1 credit and a private class costs 2 credits.

Class credits are valid for 30 days from the moment they are released to your account, and they must be booked during this time, otherwise they expire and cannot be used in a subsequent month.

You can use your credits to book classes as far in the future as you want, however please note the following:

• If you cancel a booking after your credits have expired, the credits will be lost;
• If you cancel a booking less than 24 hours before your class, the credits will be lost;
• If you book but do not attend your class, the credits will be lost.

You are responsible for using all your class credits before their expiry date. Any credits lost due to not being used on time or due to late cancellations or missed classes will not be refunded.

Yes, you can change your subscription plan at any time while your subscription is active, except during a trial period.

You will find the option to downgrade or upgrade your subscription plan on the Account status page in your profile settings and any change requested will take effect from the next billing date.

Changing your subscription plan will not affect any applicable discounts or interfere with your ability to attend classes booked previously.

You have the right to stop your English Online subscription at any time and for any reason.

If you want to temporarily stop your subscription, you can choose to pause it for 1 month or for 2 months. This option allows you to skip 1 or 2 payments and to extend the validity of your credits by 30 or 60 days.

You will be able to use your credits to book and attend classes while your subscription is paused. Once the pause period ends, your subscription will resume automatically.

If you want to stop your subscription indefinitely, you can cancel it at any time from your English Online account, from the Account status page. You must cancel your subscription at least 72 hours before the next billing date to avoid an added charge. Canceling your subscription will not interfere with your ability to attend previously booked classes or to book your remaining credits.

If you need help with canceling or pausing your subscription, please contact our Customer Support team.

To access your student portal and attend our live online classes, you will need: 

• a desktop/laptop computer (preferred) or a mobile device (tablet, smartphone)
• a reliable Internet connection 
• a headset or headphones with a built-in microphone 
• a working webcam 

If you want to join online classes, please also note:

English Online classes take place using the free and secure Zoom software. Please make sure to download Zoom to your device before your class begins.  

We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox to access the English Online platform as some portal features may not work as desired on other browsers. 

Your name on Zoom must perfectly match the name connected to your English Online account, otherwise teachers reserve the right to deny you access to your live class.

To ensure an optimal learning experience for all, our students must commit to respecting our virtual classroom rules. This means you must actively participate in your class and have your microphone and webcam turned on at all times, so that your teacher and the other students can interact with you freely, as they would in any face-to-face classroom.

Please consult our English Online code of conduct for students before you subscribe.

Yes, you will get a British Council certificate. You will be able to download your certificate directly from your student portal and you can also share it directly on LinkedIn. The certificate details your CEFR level (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) and the number of study hours you have completed.

We have restricted the number of students in a group class to 10, which we find to be an optimal number. Tools such as breakout rooms provide the opportunity for pair work or small group work, where all participants have more of an opportunity to practice speaking, the same in a physical classroom. We are aware that students might need some time for adaptation to virtual classes if they did only Face-to-Face classes before. We are confident that the group size is suitable for the medium.

You will be able to interact with your teacher much the same way as you do in a classroom. You and your teacher will be able to see and hear one another via video. If you have any issues, then you can also write to your teacher in the chat box privately to make them aware of these. Likewise, you can also write to classmates in the chat box if you are doing a group activity, like brainstorming.

Our live online classes follow a task-based approach. It is a strong communicative methodology where students spend their time actively communicating. The students have a much more varied exposure to language. All live classes are based around a main real-life and communicative task.

Before and after each group class, you’ll be able to access a wide range of premium British Council online exercises to practise your listening, reading, grammar and vocabulary skills on our easy-to-use platform.

To reach your English learning goals faster, we recommend you supplement your self-study lessons with the help of live online classes. You can choose between:

• 55-minute group classes with maximum 10 students per session – these classes include a set topic and focus on speaking and listening tasks. You will learn with other students at the same level as you, and you will receive instant feedback on your speaking, grammar and vocabulary. At the end of each class, the teacher will share valuable class materials with you for additional practice. Through the interactive approach of our online classes, you will improve your confidence when speaking English and will benefit from interacting with other English Online students;

• 25-minute private classes with our expert teachers – choose to book a freestyle private class and decide what topic you want to focus on yourself. For a more intensive and personalised experience, you can attend private classes with our expert teachers and learn at your own pace. If you want to work on a specific task that is personalised to your study goals, we have the right private class for you! You will receive a report with personalised feedback after every private class you attend, which will help you track your progress and plan your studies better.

All our teachers are highly qualified and experienced British Council English teaching professionals. Our teachers are experienced in working with students from many different countries and are online teaching specialists. Teacher training takes place regularly and teaching quality is monitored and evaluated by a team of specialists to ensure we deliver the best learning experience possible.

Whether you choose to only attend Live25 webinars, or decide to also purchase credits for online classes (group or private), we recommend you book sessions with as many teachers as possible. We believe it is pedagogically very valuable to have different teachers who have different pronunciation and speak different dialects of English. This exposure to different accents is essential in a world where English is spoken by millions of people from different countries, and we think this is the best way for our students to be better prepared to deal with real life situations.

However, if you prefer a certain teacher, you can choose to only book classes with them, whether in a group or private setting, or for your Live25 webinars.

If you would like to focus your studies more on live classes, you can join our general English course called English Online. This is also a subscription-based course that offers you access to a live class-focused course with the same expert teachers and British Council methodology. 

You can learn more about our English Online course here.

For information about how to subscribe, please contact our Customer Support team and we will be happy to help you!

The International English Language Test (IELTS) is the world’s most popular English language test. It measures the language proficiency of people who want to study or work where English is used as a language of communication. This test assesses your ability in the English language through 4 skills– listening, reading, writing and speaking.

The better you score on the IELTS test, the more opportunities you will have when it comes to choosing your preferred place to study or work.

The British Council is a co-owner of IELTS, so we are ideally placed to help you get the result you need to succeed.

British Council IELTS expert teachers will coach you in group and private classes, to apply strategies and techniques which are sure to maximise your IELTS score.

With English Online IELTS Coach you will:

• become familiar with the test format and learn how to approach the different parts of the test.
• improve your speaking, writing, listening and reading skills with our official IELTS experts – British Council qualified teachers who know the test inside out.
• develop your test technique with practise speaking tests and writing tutorials.
• join live stream language sessions which focus on grammar (Live25 sessions).

English Online IELTS Coach is suitable for learners looking to take both the IELTS Academic and the IELTS General Training Tests. It doesn’t matter if you´re taking it for the first time or if you’ve already attended the IELTS test before. With IELTS Coach you can be sure that you are prepared for test day.

English Online IELTS Coach is recommended for test takers with an English level of at least B1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR), the international standard for English language learning. Whether you are taking IELTS for the first time or retaking the test, we will help you boost your IELTS score.

Yes, English Online IELTS Coach is designed for candidates who have done the test a number of times before, as well as candidates attempting it for the first time. If you have done the test before, be sure to talk through your previous results in the Needs Analysis session with an expert teacher.

Our teachers are not permitted to give you a predicted IELTS score for any tasks taken on this course. This is because only a full official IELTS test can give you a valid score. They will give you detailed feedback based on publicly-available IELTS criteria and also guidance on understanding the grading criteria for IELTS, along with individual feedback on areas for improvement.

Choose your preferred plan according to how many classes you need to maximise your IELTS score. Classes are booked on our platform using credits and each package includes a set number of credits:

IELTS Coach Intensive: A complete, comprehensive course which gives you total and personalised preparation for the test – includes 50 class credits.

IELTS Coach Lite: Best choice for focused consolidation and practice before your test – includes 20 class credits.

IELTS Coach Express: Best choice for last minute revision, IELTS Test advice and strategies – includes 10 class credits.

This IELTS Coach plan includes 50 class credits. You can use your class credits to book your own tailor-made combination of private or group classes, speaking practice tests and writing tutorials. A group class uses 1 credit and a private class uses 2 credits.

1 x 25-min personal needs analysis session:

The first step to put you on the right track in preparing for IELTS is to have a personal needs analysis with one of our expert IELTS teachers. You’ll receive an action plan with suggestions and resources to improve your band score.

25-min webinar about the IELTS test:

Attend a webinar about the General Training and Academic IELTS Test. Familiarise yourself with the format of the test, learn how the scoring works, the question types used, and other test specifications.

25-min private classes and 55-min group classes:

Attend private one-on-one or group classes designed to maximise your score across all four skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

For example, our speaking classes focus on developing your Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Your teacher will give you totally personalised feedback and, in private classes, you will receive a report with advice on how to improve.

In our private one-on-one or group writing classes you will learn how to identify key features of the different types of essays that commonly come up on IELTS as well as improve your grammar and vocabulary. These classes have been designed to help you maximise your score on IELTS Writing Task 1 and 2.

Every time you book a class you’ll have access to a set of online activities designed specifically for English Online IELTS Coach students. These activities will help ensure you get the score you need on the IELTS test, they are an excellent way to prepare for your lessons.

25-min speaking IELTS practice tests:

Take IELTS practice speaking tests conducted one-on-one with one of our expert IELTS teachers. Your teacher will give you personalised feedback on your speaking test with areas where you can improve your fluency and coherence, your lexical resource, the grammatical range and accuracy, and your pronunciation.

25-min writing tutorials:

Book a writing tutorial, bring a piece of writing you have done and receive feedback from one of our expert IELTS markers.

Unlimited access to live-stream language sessions (Live25):

join live stream language sessions with our expert teachers. Use these to brush up any areas of grammar that may be rusty.

This IELTS Coach plan includes 20 class credits. You can use your class credits to book your own tailor-made combination of private or group classes, speaking practice tests and writing tutorials. A group class uses 1 credit and a private class uses 2 credits.

This IELTS Coach plan includes 10 class credits. You can use your class credits to book your own tailor-made combination of private or group classes, speaking practice tests and writing tutorials. A group class uses 1 credit and a private class uses 2 credits.

How fast you want to complete your IELTS Coach course depends on you and the plan you have chosen. You will have complete control over your pace and frequency of study.

You can complete your English Online IELTS Coach course within 3 months of the date of payment*. You decide how intensively you want to study.

You can set your own schedule based on your preferences and availability. Live online classes are scheduled throughout the day, everyday, including weekends, mornings, afternoons and evenings.

When you login for the first time, you will be asked to select your time zone and your preferred time format (12 hour clock or 24 hour clock). All the class times will be shown according to your local time.

*Students are responsible for booking and attending the classes before the expiry date of the course.

There is no formal assessment. There will be continuous assessment offered throughout the course, including computer-marked quizzes, as well as customised feedback on tasks from our teachers.

Getting started with English Online IELTS Coach is easy. Use our secure online payment platform to select your preferred package – IELTS Coach Complete, IELTS Coach Lite or IELTS Coach Express – and create your account. Online payment is enabled through Stripe. Most credit cards are accepted and you can also use Google Pay (for Android devices) or Apple Pay (for iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac). Also available in selected markets is Paypal, Alipay, WeChat, Ideal (Netherlands), Giropay (Germany) and P24 (Poland)

Your payment will be charged in local currency or in USD (the exact price and currency will be displayed once you have selected your country of residence during the registration process).

You will receive immediate access to English Online IELTS Coach when you create your account. You can start straight away.

English Online IELTS Coach is based in the United Kingdom. Certain banks in other countries may charge a foreign transaction fee for your membership. This fee varies depending on your bank. Whilst we are unable to adjust or remove this fee, we suggest that you reach out to your bank with any other questions.

Yes, you can pay using a company credit card.

Once your payment is complete and you log in for the first time, you will be able to download your payment receipt from the ‘Account Status’ menu and to include company information such as name, address and Tax number.

To access your student portal and attend our live online classes, you will need:

• a desktop/laptop computer (preferred) or a mobile device (tablet, smartphone)
• a reliable Internet connection
• a headset or headphones with a built-in microphone
• a working webcam

Please note:

English Online IELTS Coach classes take place using the free and secure Zoom software. Please make sure you download Zoom to your device before your class begins.

We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox to access the English Online platform as some portal features may not work as desired on other browsers.

English Online Self-Study is a 100% online and subscription-based course, designed to help you improve your level of English with the help of premium web-based exercises, grammar and pronunciation webinars and optional live classes.

This course gives you complete flexibility – study in your own time and at your own pace! With an active English Online Self-Study subscription, you have access to premium online exercises that you can complete from anywhere and at any point.

You will also improve your theoretical knowledge of English language grammar and pronunciation with our Live25 sessions. Taught by our expert teachers, these webinars will help you write and speak English with more accuracy and help you gain more confidence when using this language. With an active Self-Study subscription, you can attend 4 Live25 sessions per calendar month.

Once you have started your English Online Self-Study course, if you want to progress at a faster pace, you can upgrade to our English Online Self Study monthly subscription which also includes 4 class credits per month. With these credits you can attend live classes taught in groups of up to 15 students. Our live classes are highly interactive and focus on helping students improve their speaking and listening skills, as well as put in practice your grammar and vocabulary knowledge. You can book the classes that suit your personal needs.

While live classes are optional, we highly recommend you join them and take your English learning to the next level.

• Self-study lessons. 

You will have access to 6 different themes per level. Each theme has 6 lessons. Overall there are 36 lessons at every level, from Elementary (A1) to Advanced (C1). You can complete the lessons in any order you like but you will only get a badge after completing all the activities inside a theme. Your access will be for 1 month.

Learn in your own time and at your own pace. You will get instant feedback to track your progress with engaging, structured online exercises that will help you to improve your listening, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary skills. 

You can focus on the themes that are more relevant to your learning goals. Our themes range from Business English to every day, social English.

• Live25 – live stream language sessions

Live25 is a live stream language session that focuses on one aspect of English grammar or pronunciation. Taught by one of our expert British Council teachers, each live session is 25 minutes long. Live25 sessions will help you improve your grammar knowledge so that you can write and speak with more accuracy. You can book 4 Live25 sessions for 1 month of access. Please refer to the section below for detailed information about Live25 sessions.

English Online Self-Study is suitable for students at the CEFR levels: Elementary (A1), Pre-Intermediate (A2), Intermediate (B1), Upper Intermediate (B2) and Advanced (C1).

Each English Online Self-Study level includes access to 6 themes, with 6 self-study lessons per theme. You can complete the lessons in any order you like, and supplement your learning with the help of Live25 sessions and live classes.

The duration of your course depends entirely on you – you can choose to complete all the exercises available at a level before requesting to advance to the next level, or you can choose to advance to the next level once you feel confident you are ready for more advanced exercises.

Your Self-Study course ends when you choose to cancel your subscription. However, if you decide to reactivate your subscription after you have cancelled, you will regain access to your study history and be able to continue right from where you left off.

You will be asked to select your English level when you log in to your account for the first time.
If you are unsure of your current English level, you can take our free level test before joining the online classes. Sign up to our newsletter to access our level test.

English Online offers you complete flexibility – this means you take control of how you progress, and you decide when you feel ready to advance. When you want to change your level, you can request this by contacting our Customer Support team and they will update your account.

Our course is available at CEFR levels: Elementary (Level A1), Pre-Intermediate (Level A2), Intermediate (Level B1), Upper-Intermediate (Level B2), and Advanced (Level C1).

English Online is a subscription-based course which offers you the flexibility of advancing at your own pace – you can study with us for as long as you want!

Each level includes 6 themes that each include 6 self-study lessons, however it is not mandatory to complete all self-study lessons before upgrading to the next level. As we give students complete flexibility, you decide for how long you want to study with us and how many self-study lessons you want to complete at any given level.

Each time you complete a full theme, you will be rewarded with a digital badge that you can share with your network on social media, or download to your device for personal use. Badges are a great way to track your own progress and to count the milestones you achieve on your English learning journey.

If you also upgrade your subscription and attend live classes you will unlock access to a platform-generated attendance certificate. This certificate will include the total number of hours you studied with us and your CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) level.

The certificate is updated in real time after every class you attend, and it can be downloaded at any time directly from your English Online Self-Study account. There is no final examination necessary to obtain a certificate with English Online.

Our certificates bear the British Council logo and attest to your hard work as our student. You can share your English Online certificate on your LinkedIn page or download it to your device for personal use.

Subscribing to our Self-Study course is easy! All you need to do is go to our website and click to Purchase now from the ‘Pricing’ section of the web page.

Once you have filled in your payment and contact information, you will receive an email confirming your first payment and the start of your monthly subscription.

Your English Online Self-Study package includes access to premium online exercises which you can do in your own time and at your own pace. With an active Self-Study subscription, you will also have access to 4 Live25 sessions (webinars focused on grammar or pronunciation) per calendar month.

Please note the prices of your monthly Self-study subscription does not include credits that can be used to buy live classes – if you wish to join live classes, you can upgrade your monthly subscription after you have activated your initial subscription.

You can pay for your subscription online, directly with a credit or debit card or with Google Pay (for Android devices) or Apple Pay (for iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac). Other options are available in selected markets. When you subscribe, you will authorise English Online to automatically charge your account on a monthly recurring basis.

Your monthly subscription will be a recurring payment charged via Stripe*, our payment provider, either in your local currency or in USD (the exact price and currency will become available to you once you have selected your country of residence during the registration process). Most credit cards are accepted.

*Stripe has been audited by a PCI-certified auditor and is certified to PCI Service Provider Level 1. This is the most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry. To accomplish this, Stripe uses the best-in-class security tools and practices to maintain a high level of security.

Yes, you can pay for English Online Self-Study using an employer’s bank card, however please remember that your English Online Self-Study account must include your personal contact information (full name and email address).

After each payment, you will be able to download a receipt directly from your English Online student account. This receipt can be edited to include your personal information or your company’s information (such as name, address and tax number), and will be available immediately after every successful payment.

You can start your Self-Study course immediately after your registration has been completed.
When you activate your subscription and the first payment is charged, you will receive an email from English Online with information about how to access your newly created account. If you do not receive this email within 24 hours of your payment, please contact Customer Support for assistance.

You will have unlimited access to our premium online exercises for as long as your subscription is active. This means you can complete the exercises in your own time and at your own pace – it’s up to you!

Once you have subscribed to our English Online Self-Study course you can upgrade your monthly subscription to include 4 credits per month. You can do this via the Account status tab when you log into your account. With these credits you can book group, workplace-focused classes and progress at a faster pace.

To access your student portal and attend our live online classes, you will need: 

• a desktop/laptop computer (preferred) or a mobile device (tablet, smartphone)
• a reliable Internet connection 
• a headset or headphones with a built-in microphone 
• a working webcam 

Please note that if you do not wish to attend any live classes, you do not need a working webcam or a built-in microphone for this course.

If you want to join online classes, please also note:

English Online classes take place using the free and secure Zoom software. Please make sure to download Zoom to your device before your class begins.  

We recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox to access the English Online platform as some portal features may not work as desired on other browsers. 

Your name on Zoom must perfectly match the name connected to your English Online account, otherwise teachers reserve the right to deny you access to your live class.

To ensure an optimal learning experience for all, our students must commit to respecting our virtual classroom rules. This means you must actively participate in your class and have your microphone and webcam turned on at all times, so that your teacher and the other students can interact with you freely, as they would in any face-to-face classroom.

Please consult our English Online code of conduct for students before you subscribe.

To reach your English learning goals faster, we recommend you supplement your self-study lessons with the help of live online classes. You can book classes if you upgrade your subscription to include 4 class credits per month. This gives you access to group classes focused on workplace English.

55-minute group classes with maximum 15 students per session – these classes include a set topic and focus on speaking and listening tasks. You will learn with other students at the same level as you, and you will receive instant feedback on your speaking, grammar and vocabulary. At the end of each class, the teacher will share valuable class materials with you for additional practice. Through the interactive approach of our online classes, you will improve your confidence when speaking English and will benefit from interacting with other English for Work students.

To join online classes, you will need to purchase class credits. With an active Self-Study subscription, you have unlimited access to our web-based exercises and the ability to book 4 Live25 sessions every calendar month.

If you also wish to attend live group classes, you must first purchase class credits, which you will use to book these classes: a group class costs 1 credit.

With your Self-Study subscription, you can choose to buy a class credit package and you will then have immediate access to your credits once the payment is confirmed. This is a one-time purchase and it will not interfere with or delay your recurring monthly payment for your active subscription. 

You can buy credit packages as many times as you need, but please remember that class credits are valid for 30 days from the moment of purchase.

If you would like to focus your studies more on live classes, you can join our general English course called English Online. This is also a subscription-based course that offers you access to a live class-focused course with the same expert teachers and British Council methodology. 

You can learn more about our English Online course here.

For information about how to subscribe, please contact our Customer Support team and we will be happy to help you!